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St. Lucia to add 2,000 guestrooms

The island of St. Lucia is expected to add 2,000 guestrooms by 2020, according to tourism minister Dominic Fedee. The minister held a press conference last week in which he outlined plans for growth in the island’s tourism infrastructure. A number of properties have recently been completed, and numerous others are under construction or in development.

Dominic Fedee, St. Lucia Tourism Minister, recently announced that the island plans to add 2,000 guestrooms over the next four years. A number of new properties have recently been built on the island, with more in development.

This year, the Royalton St. Lucia Resort and Spa opened with 455 rooms, as well as Serenity Villas with 36 luxury villas. The Harbour Club will open in September, with an additional 117 rooms.

Fedee held a news conference in which he outlined plans for further development of tourist properties. Work will begin in September on the Fairmont St. Lucia on the southwestern coast. The property will include 120 rooms and 37 villas. The Reduit beach area will also get new construction later in the year when a 350-room Hilton and a 150-room Curio by Hilton properties are built. Fedee said that work on the Hilton properties should begin in late 2017.

“This property will be built where the Rex Resorts was previously located. Work on this property will begin in the last quarter of 2017.”

The tourism minister also announced that work is expected to commence on the Honeymoon Bay resort in the near future.

The tourism minister stated that the Honeymoon Bay property in Cannelles on the south coast will feature a 250-room luxury hotel as well as an 80-room luxury boutique resort with an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse and museum.

On St. Lucia’s southern tip, the Black Bay Master Development will feature a 180-room luxury hotel as well as villas. Work on the property is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2018.

Additionally, Sandals has confirmed plans for Sandals LaSource St. Lucia, which will include 330 rooms, a rooftop infinity edge pool and a pool bar. Construction is expected to begin in 2018.

Fedee also announced at the news conference that eight fishing villages will be transformed into unique tourism villages based on their unique character and attributes.

“These villages will be uniquely themed and development plans will be established in a participatory manner which addresses the village’s infrastructure, culinary assets, architecture, and capacity.”